Merida’s affordable Big.Nine and Big.Seven TFS hardtails have been given an overhaul, borrowing features from the impressive and more expensive carbon and alloy Big.Nine bikes.
Unveiled today, the new Merida Big.Nine and Big.Seven TFS retail from £575 for the most affordable bike, up to £1,250 for the range-topper, making the entry-level bike 12 times less expensive than the £7,000 Big.Nine 10K it's based on.
When we last reviewed the Big.Nine – albeit the £5,000 TR downcountry version – we loved it, so when we heard Merida was updating its cheaper sibling, we got revved up.
- Read more: Merida Big.Nine TR 8000 review
Rave reviews
What do the updates mean for this budget cross-country bike?
Its tubes are made using Merida’s Techno Forming System (TFS). Although that sounds like something from a 90s rave, it’s key to the model’s looks and feel.
Instead of using expensive hydroforming processes or costly carbon moulds, the Big.Nine and Big.Seven’s tubes are given their shape thanks to mechanical forming.
Wall thickness and tube shape can be tweaked with TFS, giving the new bikes a truly premium look.
The frame’s geometry has also been updated.
Taking its inspiration directly form the more expensive Meridas, the newest Big.Nine has a 67-degree head tube angle and a 75-degree seat tube angle.
Ideal for XC
Accommodating for all body types, there's a seven-size range, starting at XXS and rising to XXL.
The Big.Seven range gets XXS, XS and S sizes, while the Big.Nine starts at S and lifts to XXL.
Reach figures for the two bikes span 350mm (Big.Seven, XXS) up to 470mm (Big.Nine, XXL), which makes them ideal for XC riding.
Up front, there’s a 120mm-travel fork on each of the 16 (eight Big.Nine bikes and eight Big.Seven) models in the range, along with 1x and 2x drivetrain options.
The Big.Nine and Big.Seven 200 and 300, and the 40 and 60 use the same components bar the drivetrain, with the 40 and 60 getting a 2x system, and the 200 and 300 a 1x drivetrain.
The rest of the models – 15, 20, 80 and 400 – use 1x setups.
Sharing details with their more expensive counterparts, these bikes each have a bottle cage mount and an accessory mount on the underside of the top tube.
Extending their versatility are mounting points for mudguards, a pannier rack and a kickstand, plus mechanics will be happy that cables are routed via ports in the frame rather than the headset.
The bikes runs 135mm rear-axle spacing and a BSA bottom bracket, and there’s a chain-slap protector.
Premium performance, budget price
As the icing on the cake, Merida offers a lifetime frame warranty for the original owner.
Prices start at £575 for the most affordable Big.Nine TFS and Big.Seven TFS 15, and rise to £1,250 for the Big.Nine TFS and Big.Seven TFS 400.
That might make it one of the cheapest and best ways to get yourself an XC bike with the performance of a model that costs significantly more.
